Children discover supercomputer Lumi at CSC in Kajaani during Take Your Child to Work day

Today, children have been given the opportunity to join their parents at work as part of the “Take Your Child to Work” day, organized by the Central Union for Child Welfare. Approximately 1,000 workplaces are participating, although the actual number may be higher, as not all employers have reported their involvement. The event aims to enhance understanding of employees’ family circumstances while also allowing children to learn about their parents’ jobs.

At the CSC – Center for Scientific Computing and its data center in Kajaani, children discovered the supercomputer Lumi. Nine-year-old Väinö Kinnarinen expressed his excitement, stating, “I knew it was a supercomputer, and it has a lot of computers inside.” He added that if he had a Lumi computer at home, he would utilize its speed for video games.

Other participating children shared their ideas on using Lumi for coloring and weather forecasting. They learned that Lumi is the size of a whale and consumes as much electricity as 25,000 PlayStation 5 consoles. A total of 11 children participated at the Kajaani location and about 100 at the Espoo office.

This event, now in its eighth year, is steadily growing in popularity. The aim is to promote family-friendly workplaces and enhance children’s understanding of societal roles through firsthand experience. Organizers emphasize the importance of children actively participating rather than merely observing.

The initiative reflects Kajaani’s goal to become more family-friendly, with about ten companies, including Terrafame and Kainuun Liikunta, currently involved in related projects. The focus is on practical family-friendly measures within workplaces.